2014

In order to increase competition in the rail transport sector the European Commission proposes to open the market for domestic passenger transport services by rail and provide for a more strict separation between infrastructure managers and railway undertakings. For this, infrastructure managers and railway undertakings must be fundamentally legally distinct. Infrastructure managers that are part of a vertically integrated undertaking (VIU), when the proposed amendment comes into force, may, under strict conditions, be exempt from this requirement of institutional separation.

2014

The Commission is seeking to prevent banking crises, strengthen financial stability and ensure that taxpayers do not shoulder the burden of future banking crises by establishing a recovery and resolution regime for banks and investment firms. Part 1 of the CEP Policy Brief deals with recovery and resolution plans and with further crisis prevention measures.

2014

The Commission is seeking to prevent banking crises, strengthen financial stability and ensure that taxpayers do not shoulder the burden of future banking crises by establishing a recovery and resolution regime for banks and investment firms.

2014

Public and private projects “likely to have significant effects on the environment” must undergo an environmental impact assessment (EIA) prior to receiving consent. For the first time in over 25 years the Commission wants to revise Directive 2011/92/EU fundamentally in order to eliminate deficiencies and to adapt it to the modified political, legal and technical framework.

2014

In its Communication, the European Commission evaluates EU policy for safeguarding water resources, identifies deficiencies and proposes possibilities for improvement. In particular, it calls for the metering of water consumption and water pricing based on the polluter pays principle. It also proposes that national authorities be obliged to use the best available techniques for industrial emissions permits as well as EU-wide uniform standards of consumption for water-related products.

2014

The Commission wants the Member States to provide all young people between the ages of 15 and 24 with a guarantee that they will receive employment or training within four months of leaving school or losing a job.